More than 15,000 university posts could be axed over the next few years as a result of budget cuts, a higher education union warned.
In a report in the Guardian, the University and College Union (UCU) said the majority of the positions lost would be academic, meanwhile institutions may be forced to ditch courses and close campuses.
It follows the announcement last week of swinging cuts which will see budgets reduced by £449 million for 2010/11.
Academics have already warned that it could result in tens of thousands of would-be students missing out on university places.
Having spoken to vice-chancellors and other senior staff at 25 universities, the Guardian learned of plans of closing campus doors, jettisoning certain classes and using post-graduates rather than professors for teaching.
Some of those consulted described the funding cuts as "painful" and "insidious".
The newspapers reports that planned savings envisaged by institutions and unions includes more than 200 job losses at King's College, London, 700 at Leeds and 340 at Sheffield Hallam.
Elsewhere entire campuses could be closed at Cumbria and Wolverhampton universities, it is suggested.
